Self‐Assembly of <scp>L</scp>‐Cysteinato Trinuclear Cations into Metallosupramolecular Architectures Controlled by Protons, Metal Ions, and Chirality

Abstract

Complete control: Versatile self-assembly of the L-cysteinato CoIIIHgIICoIII trinuclear complex into dimeric, metallohelix, and metallocage structures, which is induced by deprotonation of L-cysteine carboxyl groups, is reported. Remarkably, the homochiral (ΛLΛL-CoIIIHgIICoIII)6 metallocage, which encapsulates an aqua metal ion, was formed from the meso-like ΔLΛL isomer of this trinuclear complex, as well as from its ΛLΛL isomer (see scheme).